Apparatus to operate a jack



I June 5, 1939- G. H. INMAN API-ARATUS TO OPERATE A JACK Filed NOV. 25,1958 4 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 afforhgy Patented June 6, 1939 UNITED STATESATENT orrles APPARATUS TO OPERATE A JACK Gilbert H. Inman, Taunton,Mass. Application November 25, 1938, Serial No. 242,237

18 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus to operate a jack or other liftingdevice, and particularly to apparatus that can be operated at the sideof a vehicle.

My principal object is to simplify the construction and operation ofsuch apparatus, and to make it adapted for use in raising any wheel onthe automobile from the side thereof.

Another object is to provide such apparatus that can be manufactured,separate from and attached to a jack and operably connected thereto atany time, or can be made integral with part of the jack structure atthetime of manufacture of the latter. A further object is to providesuch apparatus that can be manufactured and sold at a low cost, andwhich can be used to lift various makes and sizes of automobiles.

A still further object is to provide a guide for a jack, movablevertically and laterally, which will serve to correctly position thejack under any desired portion of the vehicle to be raised.

The foregoing and other objects which will appear as the nature of theinvention is better understood, may be accomplished by a constructioncombination and operative arrangement of parts such as is disclosed bythe drawings and specification. .The nature of the invention is such asto render it susceptible to various changes and modifications, and,therefore, I am not to be limited to said disclosure; but am entitled toall such changes therefrom as fall within the scope of my claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of my apparatus in normal positionwith the jack under an axle housing ready to commence the liftingoperation.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of my apparatus in normal position,similar to Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a plan View of my apparatus, the jack being shown brokenaway, and the actuating arm and associated actuating means also beingshown broken away.

Figure 5 is asectional View taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a plan view of a platform, for'use with my apparatus, inopen position.

Figure 7 is a side elevational view of said platform in erect positionsupporting a portion of a tire.

As illustrated, the actual lifting of the automobile is done by a commontype of jack J such as hydraulic or a lever-operated jack, which ispreferably used by placing it under the axle housing A or other lowerportion of the automobile. A base I2 is fastened to the under portion ofthe base of said jack J and extends as at l3 beyond the front of theregular jack base. By front is meant that 5 portion of the jack wherethe socket member 32 is. This base l2 could be made an integral part ofthe main base of the jack and manufactured at the same time. Resting onsaid base extension l3 are two bars l4 spaced apart with a space l8between 10 them, on which two angle iron supports l5 are fixed to saidbase extension l3. Said angle iron supports are spaced apart with themain faces N3 of the upright portions opposite each other and providinga space I! between them. Said space l I8 is between the bottoms of bothsaid angle irons l5 and said base extension l3. Each angle iron uprightportion has a hole l9, and a connecting rod 28 extends throughsaidholes' I9 between said angle iron supports if), being rotatablytherein, 20

. its two, ends projecting outside of and beyond said 7 angle, irons [5.An arm 22 is connected to said connecting rod 20, having a laterallyextending hole 23 near one end through which said connectingrod 20passes, said arm 22 being free to .25 move in said space H between saidangle irons l5. Said arm 22 is so connected to said connecting rod 20that rotative movement of the latter moves said arm upwardly anddownwardly at an angle.

At the end of said arm 22 is a forked portion 24 into the forked spaceof which one end of a link 25 enters, said arm being pivotally fastenedto said link 25 by a pin 26 that extends through said arm forked portion24 and said link 25. Said link 25 normally extends at an acute angle tosaid arm 22, that is, when these two parts are at their lowest point.When my apparatus is actuated said arm 22 moves upwardly from its normalhorizontal position shown in Figure 2 of the drawings. The other end ofsaid link 25 enters a slot 2'! in an elevaiing lever 29 for said jack J,being freely movable therein, and being held by a pin 38 extendinglaterally through said lever and link. -In said normal position saidlever 29 extends substantially horizontal, although the relativepositions of these parts may be varied from that shown, and stillperform their function. Said elevating lever 29 extends into the usualmovable socket member 32 of said jack J, movement of which actuates thewell known interior mecha- Q nism of .said jack.

Adjacent said socket member 32 is a guide 4!), which preferably consistsof a U-shaped rod, the opposite parts of which rod extends throughvertical holes 4| in blocks 42 whichare on opposite 5 sides of saidsocket member 32, and are held in place by a bolt M which extendslaterally through an end portion of said socket member 32 and blocks 42,said bolt being held in tightened position by a nut 45. Said guide maybe moved upwardly and downwardly in said holes 4| in said blocks 42, andonce the desired position is determined it will remain therepermanently, as the space between the opposite rod parts of said guide40 is slightly more than the space between said two block holes 4|,thereby providing a spring fit of said guide 4!) in said holes 4|. Whensaid nut is slightly loosened a rotative movement of said blocks 42 andguide 40 is possible, so that said guide may be moved forward towardssaid jack head H or backward away from it, as desired. It will thus beseen that said guide is capable of either vertical or lateral movement.It is, of course, desired to have the head H of said jack .5 comesquarely under said automobile axle housing A or other part, and as itis not possible to see clearly under the automobile as the jack J ismoved to position, I provide this-guide 40, which will be set'to extendhigher than the jack head H before the lifting operation commences. Theresult is that when said jack is moved. to lifting position, under saidaxle housing A, at least one of the rod parts of said guide-Ml will abutagainst said axle housing of the automobile, and in this position saidjack headwi-ll be directly under said axle housing because the distancebetween a said guide a and said jack head is the same as the distancefrom the outside to the center of said axle housing A. In other wordsthe distance is predetermined, and said guide 48 can be moved fartheraway from or nearer to said jack head H,

as :desired, all depending upon the size of the axle or other part to belifted.

Hydraulic or other jacks J are provided with means outside the jackwhereby their interior mechanism is set for an upward lifting movementor a downward movement. The jack illustrated has the usual valve screw53 which extends into and screw-threadedly unites with the interior ofthe jack, rotation of which from the outside of said jack results inset-ting the well known lifting mechanism in the interior for upward ordownward movement, all depending upon 'the direction of rotation of saidvalve screw 50. While hydraulic jacks are commonly provided with suchvalve screws 58, other types of jacks are provided with fingers or othermembers, movement of which will 'set the interior mechanism of the jackfor upward or downward movement, as desired, and my invent-ion isadapted for use with various kinds of such setting means. Extendingthrough said valve screw is a pin 52, rotative movement of which rotatessaid valve screw 50 from one position to another, and reverse. I haveprovided a collar 54 which fits over an end portion of said valvescrew'5ll, and through which said-actuating pin 52 extends.

When the jack is being prepared for use said valve actuating pin 52 ismoved to position by the users finger to permit upward movement of theinterior mechanism of the jack; but when the axle housing A is restingon the jack I pro- V-idea valvecontrol lever 5t pivotally fastened as at57 to an upright portion of a said angle iron 15 which extends directlyabove said actuating pin 52. Actuation of said lever '56 downwardlybrings it into contact with and causes a rotative movement of said pin'52, which rotates said valve screw 50 to thereby set the interiormechanism :for a downward movement of said jack head -I-I.

When the jack is removed from under the automobile the said pin 52 mayagain be moved to its opposite position by the hand of the operator, toset it for an upward movement. On the upright portion of the other angleiron is another Valve control lever 58 likewise pivotally fastened as at59 to said other angle iron, and extending therefrom to a point underanother part of said actuating pin 52, so that movement of said lever 58upwardly will likewise set the interior mechanism for a downwardmovement of said jack head H. Said actuating pin 52, when in eitherposition, extends at an angle, so that movement of one end of said pindownwardly moves the other end of said pin upwardly by a rotativemovement of said Valve screw 50.

Fastened to the upright portion of one said angle iron 15 is a block 6|in which there is a vertical hole 62. A movable looking or retainingmember 64 extends through said block hole 52 and enters a hole in thebottom portion of the said angle iron I 5 and into said space l8 belowsaid angle iron. This locking member 64 has a wider head portion 65which normally rests on the top of solid block "61. When said retainingmember 64 is drawn upwardly it moves out of said space lBand frees atongue TI, as-explained later.

The jack J is raised by rotative, reciprocating movement imparted tosaid connecting rod 20, rotation of less than one-quarter of a turnusually beingsufficien't. This movement to said connecting rod 20 isimparted by an actuating arm which is partially rotated back and forthbyforce applied at one end thereof, which end is at the side of theautomobile, when my apparatus is used for the purpose of raising anautomobile. In this use itextends beyond the side of the wheel to beraised, and is operated at a point at the outer side of the automobilewheel. Said actuating arm 70 has at its inner end a coupling 12 fixedthereto which fits over said arm and extends beyond; and either one-ofthe two project- 'ing ends of said connecting rod '20 extends intothe-open end of said coupling '12 when my apparatus is ready to beoperated. This is accomplished by merely pushing said coupling "12 overan en'd of said connecting rod '20, whereupon any rotative movementimparted to said actuating arm '10 is likewise imparted to saidconnecting rod *20, with the result that the jack head H is raised, aspreviously explained. At one side of said coupling 12 is a thickened orside projecting portion 13 which may extend under said lever 56 orsaidlever 58, depending upon which side of the jack it is, when saidcoupling 12 has been pushed over the end of said connecting rod 26 asfar as it will go. In that position, rotation of said actuating arm T8will bring said coupling projectingportion 13 up against said lever 58or lever 58, and thereby move said lever 55 down or move said lever 58up, which, in either case, :causes said pin 52 and valve screw 50 tomove, to thereby set the interior mechanism of said Jack J for adownward movement of said jack head H. When an upward movement of said'J'aok head is desired, the said pin 52 is moved to the oppositeposition by hand, as previously ex- :plained. V

Ordinarily, when said actuating arm i6 is rotated, neither said.coupling 72 nor said projecting portion 13 extends under either of saidlevers 56 and 58; but said coupling projecting portion 73 may be pushedthereunder by an. end thrust movement of said arm 10, as laterdescribed, "when it is desired to lowersaid jack head H.

In order to readily move said coupling 12 to its position on saidconnecting rod 20, and hold the connection firmly during operation of myapparatus, I provide a tongue 11 which extends beyond said arm andcoupling 12 and is adapted to enter said space l8 from either side ofsaid jack, depending upon which side the wheel to be raised is. Saidtongue has a rabbet or roove 18 in one side edge, and another rabbet orgroove 19 extending in from the other side edge, and when said tongueextends fully into said space I8 said locking member 64 extends into oneor said rabbets 18 or 19, and thereby holds said tongue in fixedposition until said locking member 64 is raised to thereby permitwithdrawal of said tongue.

Said actuating arm 10 is enclosed by a tube or housing 80, except at itsends, and is freely movable therein. A collar 8| surrounds and is fixedto the inner end of the said tube 89, and said tongue 11 is fixed as at82 to said collar 8|. At the other end of said tube 80 is another collar85 which is fixed thereto, and preferably extends slightly beyond theend of said tube 89. Set into said tube 89 a slight distance from eachend are bushings EH.

Said actuating arm 10 has a bent handle portion 10a at its outer end,which extends from the long, straight portion of said arm 10 at anangle, as shown, said angle preferably being about 60 degrees fromhorizontal. Said arm 10 is permitted some longitudinal or end play insaid tube 89, as the distance between the rear of said coupling 12 andthe portion of said actuating arm ll) where said bent handle portion 10abears against said collar BI, is slightly greater than the length ofsaid tube 89. This longitudinal play permits said arm 19 to be pushedinwardly to a point where said coupling projecting portion 13 extendsunder a said control lever 56 or 58, in which position'rotative movementof said arm 19 actuates said lever which in turn moves said valve screwpin 52, as previously described.

A'hollow handle 90 fits over said bent handle portion Illa, and saidactuating arm 1.13 is actuated by a lateral reciprocating movementthereof of saidhandle 90, which movement is the force that raises thejack J. Said handle 99 fits over said bent handle portion 10a andextends slightly under the top portion and into the interior of saidcollar 85 so that while in this position no inward or other longitudinalmovement of said actuating arm 10 is possible, which assures that saidcoupling projecting portion 13 will not be moved under either of saidcontrol levers 56 or 58 while the jack is being raised to the desiredposition. Withdrawal of said handle 99 from its position slightly undersaid collar top portion frees said arm 10 for end thrust movement, and,when it is desired to set the jack interior mechanism to permit adownward movement of the jack head H saidarm i9 is merely pushedinwardly and rotated, if necessary until said coupling projectingportion 13 is under a said control lever 56 or 58, whereupon anyrotative movement of said arm l9 will raise said control lever. This istrue whether the said arm 19 extends to the right side of said jack orto the left side, as said coupling projecting portion 13 can be moved toa position under either said control lever 56 or 58 when said arm 18 ispushed inwardly.

When raising the ordinary automobile with said jack J directly under theaxle housing A said actuating arm ill will extend to one side of theautomobile at an angle outwardly of said axle housing A, because thedistance between said axle housing A and that portion of the tire Tadjacent the ground under which said actuating arm Hi will extend, isgreater than the distance between said jack head H and said connectingrod 29. In order to bring said arm 10 at or as nearright angles to saidaxle housing A as possible, and thereby reduce the amount of effortrequired to elevate said jack head H, I provide a platform P on whichthe automobile tire may rest while the jack is being operated. Saidplatform P consists of a lower plate 99 and an upper plate 9| hingedtogether at the front as at 92. Hinged as at 93 to said lower plate 99is a supporting bar 94 which, when moved to its erect or supportingposition, provides a support for said upper plate 9| and thereby leavesa space 95 between said upper plate 9| and said lower plate 96. erectposition, extends from said hinge 92 diagonally upward it provides aV-shaped platform, which has its widest openingor space 95 at the rear,and it is through that portion of said space 95 at the rear that saidtube 80 and actuating arm 19 are adapted to extend, the said space 95being suflicient to freely receive said tube Bil and permit it to reston said lower plate This enables the user to operate said actuating armm at its handle portion 10a nearer the said axle housing A, therebyeasing the task of elevating the automobile. Said supporting bar 94 inits erect position preferably extends at substantially right angles tosaid upper plate 9| that rests on top of it, consequently it extendsdiagonally upward from said lower plate 90 and forms an acute angle withrespect thereto. When said platform P is not in use, said supporting bar94 rests in almost horizontal position on said lower plate 90.

What I claim is:

1. Apparatus to operate a jack comprising actuating means adapted to beoperatively connected to said jack, a connecting rod operativelyconnected to said means and extending laterally of the longitudinal axisof said means, and actuating instrumentalities adapted to be operativelyconnected to and upon actuation to actuate said rod.

2. Apparatus to operate a jack comprising actuating means adapted to beoperatively con nected to said jack, a connecting rod operativelyconnected to said means and extending at two opposite ends beyondadjacent portions of said means, and actuating instrumentalities adaptedto be operatively connected to either end of said rod and adapted uponactuation to actuate said rod.

3. Apparatus to operate a jack comp-rising actuating means adapted to beoperatively connected to said jack, upwardly extending supporting means,a connecting rod operatively connected to said actuating means andmovably supported in an upwardly extending portion of said supportingmeans, and actuating instrumentalities adapted to be operativelyconnected to and upon actuation to actuate said rod.

4. Apparatus to operate a jack comprising actuating means adapted to beoperatively connected to said jack, base means, supporting meanssupported by and having a portion spaced from said base means, a membermovably mounted in said supporting means and operatively connected tosaid actuating means, instrumentalities operatively connected to saidmember and adapted upon actuation to actuate said member, said in-'strumentalities embodying a tongue adapted to Inasmuch as said upperplate 9| when in I extend into the said space when saidinstrumentalities are operatively connected to said member.

5. Apparatus to operate a jack comprising means adapted to beoperatively connected to said jack, base means, supporting meanssupported by and having a portion spaced from said base means at twoopposite points, a member movably mounted in said supporting means andoperatively connected to said actuating means, instrumentalitiesoperatively connected to said member and adapted upon actuation toactuate said member, said instrumentalities embodying a tongue adaptedto extend into the said space at either said point when saidinstrumentalities are operatively connected to said member.

6. Apparatus to operate a jack comprising a member adapted to beoperatively connected with the operative mechanism of a jack, anothermember operably connected to the first member, another memberoperatively connected to the sec ond member, and instrumentalitiesoperatively connected to the latter member adapted upon actuation toactuate said latter member, said first and third members normallyextending in. a lateral direction and said second member nor mallyextending in an upward direction.

'7. Apparatus to operate a jack comprising a lever adapted to beoperatively connected with the operative mechanism of a jack, a linkoperably connected to said lever, an arm operatively connected to saidlink, and instrumentalities operatively connected to said arm adaptedupon actuation to actuate said arm.

8. Apparatus to operate a jack comprising actuating means adapted to beoperatively connected to said jack, base means, supporting meanssupported by and having a portion spaced from said base means, a membermovably mounted in said supporting means and operatively connected tosaid actuating means, instrumentalities operatively connected to saidmember and adapted upon actuation to actuate said member, saidinstrumentalities embodying a tongue adapted to extend into the saidspace, and a coupling adapted to connect with said member when saidinstrumentalities are operatively connected to said member.

9. In combination, a jack'having a base, and apparatus to operate saidjack comprising a base portion extending outwardly from said jack base,two supporting members supported by said base portion and spacedlaterally apart, a connecting rod movably mounted in said two supportingmembers and extending across said space, actuating means operativelyconnected to said jack embodying a member extending into said space andmovably connected to said rod, and actuating instrumentalities adaptedto be operatively connected to and upon actuation to actuate said rod.

10. In combination, a jack having a base, and apparatus to operate saidjack comprising a base portion extending outwardly from said jack base,two supporting members supported by said base portion and spacedlaterally apart and each having a portion spaced vertically from saidbase portion, a connecting rod movably mounted in said two supportingmembers and extending across said lateral space, actuating means adaptedto be operatively connected to said jack embodying a member extendinginto said lateral space and movably connected to said'rod, and actuatinginstrumentalities adapted to be operatively connected to and uponactuation to actuate said rod embodying a member adapted to extend intosaid vertical space and assist in firmly maintaining the operativeconnection between said instrumentalities and rod.

11. Apparatus to operate a jack in combination with a jack havingcontrol means adapted upon actuation to shift the direction of movementof the lifting mechanism of the jack as desired, said apparatuscomprising actuating means operatively connected to said jack,supporting means, a member movably mounted in said supporting means andoperatively connected to said actuating means, lever means movablymounted to said apparatus and extending to a point with relation to saidcontrol means whereby actuation of said lever means will actuate saidcontrol means, and actuating instrumentalities adapted to be operativelyconnected to said member embodying means adapted to be moved to aposition relative to said lever means, whereby upon actuation said levermeans is actuated.

12. Apparatus to operate a jack in combination with a jack havingcontrol means adapted upon actuation to shift the direction of movementof the lifting mechanism of the jack as desired, said apparatuscomprising actuating means operatively connected to said jack,supporting means, a member movably mounted in said supporting means andoperatively connected to said actuating means, two levers movablymounted to said supporting means at opposite sides thereof and extendingto a point with relation to said control means whereby actuation ofeither said levers will actuate said control means, and actuatinginstrumentalities adapted to be operatively connected to said memberembodying means adapted to be moved to a position relative to either ofsaid levers whereby upon actuation a said lever is actuated.

13. Apparatus to operate a jack comprising actuating means adapted to beoperatively connected to said jack, supporting means, a con- ,nectingrod operably connected to said means and mounted in said supportingmeans and adapted to rotatively move therein, and actuatinginstrumentalities adapted to be connected to and upon actuation toactuate said rod, said instrumentalities embodying an actuating armadapted to rotatively move, a coupling at one end of said arm adapted tofit over a portion of said rod and cause said rod to rotatively movewith said arm, said arm extending sidewise of the longitudinal axis ofmovement of said actuating means.

14. Apparatus to operate a jack comprising actuating means adapted to beoperatively connected to said jack, supporting means, a connecting rodoperably connected to said means and mounted in said supporting meansand adapted to rotatively move therein, and actuating instrumentalitiesadapted to be connected to and upon actuation to actuate said rod, saidinstrumentalities embodying an actuating arm adapted to rotatively move,a handle portion extending from one end of said arm upwardly at lessthan a perpendicular angle to said arm, a coupling at the other end ofand extending beyond said arm and adapted to fit over a portion of saidrod and cause said rod to rotatively move with said arm, said armextending sidewise of the longitudinal axis of movement of saidactuating means. a

15. Apparatus to operate .a jack comprising actuating means adapted tobe operatively connected to said jack, base means, supporting meanssupported by and having a portion spaced from said base means,instrumentalities operatively connected to said actuating means andadapted upon actuation to actuate said actuating means, saidinstrumentalities embodying a tongue adapted to extend into said spacewhen said instrumentalities are operatively connected to said actuatingmeans, and locking means adapted to cooperate with said tongue to holdsaid tongue in said space.

16. Apparatus to operate a jack comprising actuating means adapted to beoperatively connected to said jack, base means, supporting meanssupported by and having a portion spaced from said base means,instrumentalities operatively connected to said actuating means andadapted upon actuation to actuate said actuating means, saidinstrumentalities embodying a tongue adapted to' extend into said spacewhen said instrumentalities are operatively connected to said actuatingmeans, said tongue having an opening therein and a member adapted toextend into said tongue opening when said tongue is in said space andthereby lock said tongue therein.

1'7. Apparatus to operate a jack in combination with a jack havingcontrol means adapted upon actuation to shift the direction of movementof the lifting mechanism of the jack as desired, said apparatuscomprising actuating means operatively connected to said jack,supporting means, a connecting rod operatively connected to saidactuating means and extending laterally of said means and mounted forrotative movement in said supporting means, lever means movably mountedto said supporting means and extending to a point with relation to saidcontrol means whereby actuation of said lever means will actuate saidcontrol means, and actuating instrumentalities adapted to be operativelyconnected to said rod embodying an arm, a coupling on one end of saidarm, said coupling being adapted to fit over a portion of said rod andcause said rod to rotatively move with said arm, said coupling beingadapted by end thrust movement to extend opposite said lever meanswhereby rotative movement of said arm will cause said coupling toactuate said lever means and said control means.

18. Apparatus to operate a jack in combination with a jack havingcontrol means adapted upon actuation to shift the direction of movementof the lifting mechanism of the jack as desired, said apparatuscomprising actuating means operatively connected to said jack, a baseportion, supporting means supported by and having a portion spacedvertically from said base portion, said vertical space being at twoopposite sides of said supporting means, a connecting rod operativelyconnected to said actuating means and mounted for rotative movement insaid supporting means and having two ends extending beyond saidsupporting means in the same 0pposite directions as said two oppositesides, two levers movably mounted to said supporting means at oppositesides thereof and each extending to a point with relation to saidcontrol means whereby actuation of a said lever will actuate saidcontrol means, and actuating instrumentalities adapted to be operativelyconnected to said rod embodying an arm, a coupling on one end of saidarm adapted to fit over either said end of said rod and cause said rodto rotatively move with said arm, said coupling being adapted by endthrust movement of said arm to extend to a point opposite either saidlever whereby rotative movement of said arm will actuate a said leverand said control means, a tongue extending from said instrumentalitiesbeyond said coupling and adapted to extend into a said space at eitherof said opposite sides before and when said coupling is over said rod.

GILBERT H. INMAN.

